In a multi-faceted career as performer, recording artist, writer, archivist, and curator, pianist John Davis has excavated and disseminated a previously-unacknowledged African American roots music. In addition to his frequent concerts in the United States and abroad, he is most associated with three seminal Newport Classic recordings: "John Davis Plays Blind Tom;" "Marshfield Tornado: John Davis Plays Blind Boone;" and "Halley’s Comet: Around the Piano with Mark Twain & John Davis.: In 2017, his personal archive became the basis for "Bamboula! Black Music Before the Blues," the exhibition of early printed musical African Americana he curated at Brown University. Davis’ cutting-edge career has been featured on CNN; CNN-International; ABC Radio National (Australia); the BBC World News; NPR’s All Things Considered, Performance Today, and On Point; PBS’ Life 360; The Today Show on NBC, ABC’s Good Morning America; and ABC’s Nightline Up-Close. He has also been profiled in The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Oxford American, The Independent (London), and Scientific American.